East Midlands Council’s recently published a report on the impact of international migration on their region.

It concludes that international migration has generally been good for the economy, that recent migrants make a net contribution to the UK budget and are less likely to claim state benefits than the non-migrant population.

However it also highlights four key challenges that must be addressed if community cohesion is to be maintained at a local level:

There is no single, consistent source of local data on migrant communities or their characteristics, which makes it difficult for councils to effectively plan and deliver local services;

Changes to Government policy have shifted the cost of caring for some vulnerable migrant communities to councils, without any additional financial support;

Councils need to have a greater say in how and where supported asylum seekers are dispersed by the Home Office in local communities; and

There is a lack of local provision for teaching English for those new migrants who do not speak the language well, which can limit job opportunities and increase translation costs for councils.

TCC is aware of much of this from our Community Cohesion work in places such as Boston, Lincolnshire and in Norfolk.

One of the key things holding work in this field back is the problem of data set out in the first point, the current data sources are a bit generalist, based as they are on the 2011 census, NHS records and some occasional research surveys. Some possible data sources such as the Roman Catholic Church diocese for some eastern European communities such as the Poles, or gathering data from places such as Eastern European food shops are rarely engaged with.

Parts of the UK have much more intense levels of economic migration such as London and the agricultural areas of the East Midlands, the latter of which gets covered in this report. It does make sense for local authorities and other bodies in those areas where this is an issue to work together to develop a single set of shared usable data. This would not only assist with engagement but would also address difficult cohesion issues such as dispelling myths and rumours that can arise as we know from our own substantial cohesion work over the years. In order to be useful all round, this might include:

General Demographics

Employment details. This is likely to be important for some of the current debates

The issue of migration is not going to go away and many migrant communities are settled with some more integrated than others. More detailed data is not only useful but could enable groups of local authorities and other public bodies to save money too.

Charlie Mansell is Research and Development officer at The Campaign Company. You can read more about our community cohesion work here and our work into values here.

The 2013 British Values Survey is still being crunched but already we know both main political party’s nerves should be jangling. The headline party support figures are similar to national polls but it’s the values shifts that tell the story.

For those of you not familiar with the Values Modes segmentation you can divide any population into three groups based on dominant motivations. Settlers are socially conservative, driven by a desire to belong and more focused on security and safety. Prospector’s psychology can best be understood as aspirant. They can be either socially conservative or socially liberal. Pioneers are more socially tolerant or liberal, more altruistic and more focused on society and self-discovery.

The values story of post war Britain is of the decline of the Settler from 56 per cent of the population in 1973 right down to 25 per cent in 2005, before their re-emergence in this recession. Until recently Settler decline was matched largely by a growth in the number of Pioneers, with the number of Prospectors oscillating slightly depending on the economic winds.

But after 2008 two things happened. First, the number of Settlers grew and then shrank again, and second, the consensual centre (made of those from all three values groups whose values are more subtle) shrank.

The 2013 British Values Survey shows an unexpected decline in the number of Pioneers to just 32 per cent of the population and a growth in the number of Prospectors to 37 per cent, with Settlers holding steady at 31 per cent. The consensual centre remains more thinly populated compared with pre 2008 surveys. Particularly stark is the growth of the socially conservative Prospectors, who at 15.3% now represent the largest values sub group.

So what does all of this mean for the main political parties?

The Conservative’s historic failure to reach the Pioneer, temporary mitigated by Cameron’s compassionate Conservative rhetoric, but renewed with Lynton Crosby’s three pronged tough on welfare, immigration and the deficit strategy, matters less than it might have done, but it still means its base camp is too far down the mountain to ensure victory.

Labour’s inability to reconnect with Settler supporters it haemorrhaged under the last Labour government leaves it too in the low altitude zone and this is compounded by the shrinkage of the Pioneer values group, where its flag is currently planted to mop up Liberal Democrat deserters.

The Tories hope that they will win back some Settlers from UKIP and they may well do, but the real battle ground will now be for the Prospector, and particularly the socially conservative Prospector. Both parties forced to fight for these aspirant voters because the narrowness of their messaging has boxed them in.

Prospectors are pragmatists. They look for the party that will make them better off and they are also more likely to swing late behind the winner. Labour’s cost of living campaign gels with many Prospectors but the Tories still hold most of the cards. The economy is now reaching escape velocity, they decide what is in the budget, and negative campaigns targeted at Labour’s economic competence will hurt, not like in 92, but they will hurt.

Labour will have to fight hard to win the mantle of economic trust but it is always harder to win this fight from opposition than it is from government. If they fail they will rue their strategic decision not to build outwards from their base.

Today’s headline polls don’t tell us the full story. Whoever Prospectors say they will vote for, either now or even 24 hours before the polls close, some will change their minds. The fight remains finely balanced but this polling hints at how the Conservatives can reach escape velocity.

Nick Pecorelli is an Associate Director at The Campaign Company. To take the values survey please click here.

Repatriating public health back into local authorities was a welcome move, but one not without risks. Public health is the only area of local government which has been shielded from the axes of above whilst colleagues around them are fighting for money here there and everywhere. It is inevitable that bringing public health back into local authorities carries with it the real risk that sooner or later those colleagues around them will start looking to this ‘sacred’ pot of money to survive. Case in point, Sheffield.

I thought I’d get my legislative head on and scurry around the reams of legislation to find out what the gods in Westminster tells us about ring fenced public health budgets, in particular what the terms and conditions are of the public health budgets. The guidelines essentially say the money must be used for public health purposes as mandated by their public health function (outlined in the National Health Service Act 2006 see section 73B (2). However the grant conditions state that funds can be spent on other functions of the local authority only if ‘the authority is of the opinion that those functions have a significant effect on public health’. The wording certainly leaves room for interpretation and it is under this remit that Sheffield is arguing for public health money as libraries improve wellbeing.And can you blame them? Desperate time calls for desperate measures

Indeed a recent report by the NLGN cited the envy felt by others in the local authority towards public health. When they’re being stripped of money it must be difficult to swallow seeing your colleagues have a protected and increased budget. It seems that this envy has the propensity to turn into action.

Surely then why aren’t more local authorities following suit? Well I can find little evidence of it having happened elsewhere, but it might have been the case of who was going to take the first jump? If so, have Sheffield now set a precedent? And will the defences of public health remain strong against the attack?

Rosanna Post is a Project Officer at The Campaign Company. She specialises in Behaviour Change. To find out more about The Campaign Company click here.

They are always on different coloured paper, and they usually have at least one, if not two, tear off strips. I now file them under various headings.

First, there are the instruction letters: where the children must be and by when, who with, why and what they should have with them. The need for lunches (in disposable packaging only) and waterproofs (with hoods please, but no hoodies); with spending money (more than a pound, but not over £3) and permissions slips at hand.

Then there are the rule letters. No jewellery; no skateboards; no mobiles or other electronic devices. And no cars anywhere near school. Oh, and don’t even think about taking your children out of school in term time – the consequences are too severe for me to even mention on an open webpage.

And the event letters: swimming festival tomorrow (did we not mention?), and valentine’s day special craft project (really, is it that time of year already? But there are no Easter eggs in the shops yet). So I frantically search round the house for some appropriate red card and ribbon to donate cursing myself for obviously missing a memo somewhere

Then there is the raft of money letters. Money for trips. Money for swimming. Money for residentials. Money for music lessons. Money for the PTA.

Now I am pretty lucky, my girls’ teachers have all been extremely good at keeping us up to date and the school tries hard to keep parents informed without over burdening us. So surely as a communications professional (stop giggling at the back) I should welcome this barrage of information?

Well, yes, the motivation is clearly right. But this is the 21st century. Aren’t there better ways of communicating? Headteachers’ blogs? Email cascades? Twitter feeds for each year group? Class specific noticeboards? On line Q&A sessions? Skype parents evenings? Facebook pages with events functionality? Tying notes to the legs of pigeons? OK, we may need our children to help us actually do some of these things, but they taught me how to use my smartphone…

Drowning in paper, colour coordinated or not, is so last year.

But it is better than being kept in the dark I guess. I just need a decent PA to help me do the filing and perhaps a new hobby: origami or papier mache anyone?

Learn the violin, take up Spanish, go to the gym three times a week, or spend three hours every morning from 5 a.m. on transcendental meditation?

What was your New Year’s resolution? If you have already tripped up then don’t fret you are with the majority. Some studies point to an 88% fail rate.

We like resolutions because they are loaded with the concept of self-improvement. They represent some mythical potential being that is cleverer, fitter or wiser. They are the sort of lifestyle choices that a Scandinavian Architect with a black roll neck adopts effortlessly.

Every year at TCC we wake a little worse for wear on the 1st of January and we decide that here is a new dawn. We set a goal or objective. It is however (this will not be a revelation) difficult to live up to our early optimism.

On a logical level we can make a good case for the personal discipline but humans are not logical. There are countless books on what you might call the anti-logic of the human brain Switch , Thinking, Fast and Slow, and Nudge, are just a few. The basic message is that if you want to be a multi talented Scandinavian Architect you need to really want it at a visceral level and it also helps if the things that are in your way help you to make easy choices on the road.

What does this mean for your aim to go to the gym three times a week?

Well if we take the road first: You need to make it smaller for a start – three times a week for a year or the rest of your life sounds daunting so how about say going to the gym 10 times in a month. Success is only 10 visits away. Make it social, some of us don’t like people and that is fine, but if you get involved with others you start to build loyalty and obligation (don’t go with people, who want to have a few pints after the gym, this is the wrong kind of habit). Build reminders on the way, the night before pack your gym bag and put it on the driver’s seat or block the front door with it, when you feel less like it at 6 am you have a reminder that you wanted to do it.

What about the visceral stuff, well apart from being a very good word, it is about what motivates you at a gut level. If you can work that out then framing your resolution in a way that appeals to the gut can really make you one of the 12 %. If you want to work out what really gets you at the gut level then try our Values Survey – this time next year you’ll just be coming back from the gym.

To mark the 9th day of Christmas, I have had a think about 9 behaviour change campaigns I have been a victim of, my colleagues have been a victim of or ones we have simply admired from afar. They range from the local to the national, from the ancient to the brand new and from mouthwash to a cartoon animal.

When whittling down the competitors, I started to get a little over excited about the campaigns I had seen on TV or whilst waiting for a tube which I’d been in awe at over the ‘cleverness’ or ‘creativity’ of the campaign. A trap too many of us fall in when thinking about great social marketing or behaviour change campaigns – the package is not everything! How many people can think of behaviour change campaigns they’ve been impressed with on TV through clever advertising – but has it actually changed your behaviour? That’s one to think about

Finally, after far too long, we have a national behaviour change campaign to combat mental health discrimination and stigma. Whilst still in the early stages of a lengthy campaign, they’re beginning to get results which evidence the positive impact of the campaign on people’s behaviour towards people suffering from mental health problems.

An oldy but a goody. The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents featured the squirrel and his friends to introduce clear and simple safety messages for children. Tufty was a better message carrier than adults and the Tufty Club was set up as a nationwide network of local groups. At its peak there were 24,500 registered Tufty Clubs. They got a lot of things right before social marketing was a twinkle in anyone’s eye.

A national campaign to to raise awareness of the symptoms of bladder and kidney cancers and encourage early presentation to their GP. Absolutely genius social marketing that could not have been more directly aimed at its target audience – quite literally sending the message through the urinals. You need to see it to believe it.

NextJump’s CEO Charlie Kim wanted his employees to exercise regularly. And so, NextJump (an internet and ecommerce company) installed gyms in their offices and created a custom application that rewarded employees for “checking in” to the gyms. With this campaign, around 12% of the company’s staff began a regular workout schedule.However, the CEO wasn’t satisfied and so NextJump included gamification into their program. Now their employees could form regionally based teams, check in to workouts, and chart their team’s progress on a leader-board. This had a powerful effect on creating and sustaining a positive behavioral change. With gamification, 70% of NextJump’s employees now regularly work out. A great example of the power of a nudge in creating long lasting behaviour change.

We all know it and we all love it. A campaign that is not only instantly recognisable but one that had clear impact on the ground, not only influencing the behaviour of dog-buyers (customers) but also dog sellers (stakeholders) – it has now become the norm for dog breeders and kennels to prohibit the selling of dogs over the Christmas period. A clear message and a clear result. Bravo.

Following the successful implementation of trying to normalise HIV testing throughout HIV week by making it an accessible offer in social settings such as bars and clubs. This normalisation of HIV testing has been given a huge endorsement by way of the Public Health Minister. Expect more to come.

A campaign to tackle the confusion round the law on sexual assault and harassment, confusion particularly on consent and confusion about what is acceptable behaviour. It aimed to increase the reporting of sexual assault or rape and early reports are indicating that this increase has been realised since the launch of the campaign.

Yes I’ve done it, I’ve included it, but Ive used its real name! Groundbreaking cycle campaign to encourage that straddles a number of behaviour change areas including leading a healthy lifestyle, green living and sustainable travel. A huge cost but a huge return already in the unprecedented uptake of the scheme marked by the announcements of the extension of the scheme across other parts of London.

If you’re unsure on what a values group is, go to our simple Values Mode Test to see what group you’re in and all will be explained.

Every year, everyone has that one person who is simply so hard to buy for that you get something so generic (e.g socks) because it’s something that is, more often than not, always needed. This year, we’re helping you. By taking our valuable knowledge about people’s values, we’re giving you a Christmas gift guide on what to get your loved one, be he or she a settler, prospector or pioneer.

If you’re still unsure of what a Settler, Prospector or Pioneer is, here’s brief breakdown. To Settlers, the wider society is daunting so the core necessities are essential; safety, security and belonging. Settlers also have a fear of crime itself and change is often seen as a negative thing. Prospectors are ‘outer driven people’ with the motive of self-esteem of themselves and others are of key value. Job promotions, money and social status are high priorities for Prospector as they see appearance and possessions as a visual sign of success. Pioneers however, are driven by personal progression and ideas. Though having a large social, individuality is more important than following the crowd. Of course there are the sub groups but that’s for another day.

When looking for gifts in terms of a Settler, you need to consider the functions of it and the practicality of the gift. Because safety and the home is so important to them, something from a home wear shop would be ideal. To take the necessities literally, you could go to B&Q and by a security system for their home; but it’s not exactly the most glamorous of Christmas presents. However, if you consider your loved Settlers hobbies you can chose a practical gift that relates to their favourite past time. For instance, my Grandmother is a Settler who thoroughly enjoys flower arranging. For her last birthday, I bought her a vase to present her flowers in. She does have thousands of these; however this particular vase has the practicality of three (and was greatly complimented at her party). But as she has vases already, I’m taking her passion for the outdoors and getting her a pair of wellie socks because she likes walking and has cold feet – practical and functional. For the Settler male, the same idea would be to have a look at their hobbies and to then apply the present to said hobby.

A Prospector may be the easiest to buy for but may also be the most expensive. I think everyone has seen that person on the train or tube switching between the newest mobile phone, then to the newest tablet then on to a very flash looking watch whilst wearing a very sharp, tailored suit. The odds of that person being a Prospector are very high. As they are driven by visual signs of success, opulent and well known brands would be ideal presents. The newest item of technology or a branded item of clothing that the recipient can then use and show as a sign of wealth would be top of the mark as it hits this person’s desires on the head. Pioneers are often very excited about new forms of science and technology so items such as the new Apple iPad Air or iPhone indicates not only their success of owning one, it also shows that the user is completely up to date with the ever evolving world of technology. Branded clothing or items in general would also be a good present as it allows people to see them as successful, jet-setters and go-getters. Prospectors are also about enjoying and having fun. This then gives the idea of buying them an experience day. For a woman, a spa treatment weekend or for a gentleman, a wine tasting class (for them to then post a picture or status about it on Facebook).

Most of the TCC office are Pioneers. When I asked around, the two answers I got back from the four other people in were 1) books, 2) nothing (possibly the most unhelpful answers). There was also a joke going from one end of the office to the other that a certain member of the team wants soy beans and hemp clothing (take that how you will but we’re not hippies). Thinking about it, I’m a Pioneer and a fair percentage of my Christmas list is books. As Pioneers strive to personal development and achievement, the increasing of knowledge is what they seek so books and sources that will improve the way they think will be warmly welcomed. Other good ideas would be art gallery memberships or tickets to museum exhibitions. Instead of something that’s bright and shiny, Pioneers look to have something that’s more meaningful that has a deeper value. We’re not saying give them a goat to farmers in Africa or a build a bog donation (unless they really want it), something that shows the giver has really thought about the present will mean more to the recipient. If I’m ever out of ideas with someone who has traits of being a Pioneer, I go for the fail-safe, a coffee table book. Not only is the recipient able to learn about a new artist or location but is widening their tastes in the area. This then may spark a new interest for the recipient, so the next major event of gift giving may be tickets to see an exhibition on that person or an experience day in said location.

I hope this has made the last minute shopping easier for everyone. I’ve actually helped myself in realising what some of my family members would actually like for Christmas. But, in the worst scenario, no one can ever have too many socks or sets of Christmas pyjamas. TCC hope you have a lovely Christmas and a happy New Year.

JFK or JR Ewing? Whichever J you prefer, Dallas, assassins and controversial circumstances bind them together. My colleague at TCC (Charlie) forwarded the latest Gallup poll which shows that well over half of Americans (61%) today think that JFK’s demise was part of a wider conspiracy. There is no poll on JR.

Everyone from the CIA and Russians to the Cubans and the Mob have been fingered as part of a plot to eliminate the 35th US President. If you are the US Government or the CIA or the Mob how do you defend yourself in the face of conspiracy theorists?

There is a big problem, any evidence that you submit for analysis is not trusted. You are, in the mind of your accuser, capable of subterfuge and conspiracy. Each time you restate your case or present new evidence you are ‘up to your old tricks again’ – aren’t you?

A rather tenuous link but there is similarity to local authorities who are trying their best to deal with ‘the cuts’ (not quite as remarkable as JFKs assassination but will be talked about for just about as long). A recent TCC poll indicated that 27% of people blamed the coalition government for the cuts, 19% the previous Labour Government and 12% the local council – 31% blamed them all equally. What is real is that people feel hard done by, as councils communicate the bad news day in and day out.

To avoid conspiracy theories councils need to be open to what people are saying, that means understanding the narratives that surround the issues and the values that are driving them. This insight is important if you are to get the messages right. Authorities shouldn’t respond with facts and figures or continuous reference to ‘block grants’. If people don’t trust you they don’t trust your figures. The way to take people with you is by being honest but also empathetic, reflecting the reality that people are facing.

When people recognise you are on the same page as they are, they are more likely to give you the benefit of the doubt (and less likely to put you behind a grassy knoll).

Graeme Wilson is Chief Executive of The Campaign Company. You can read more about our communications strategies here.

We had a water cooler discussion in the office this morning about the John Lewis Bear and Hare ad. Two of us liked it, one just growled in a thick Scottish accent, one burst into tears and one hasn’t got a TV (sick superior bastard).

I loved it and it would seem churlish to criticise John Lewis’ for the similarity to the Bear Stays up for Xmas story (although it is almost identical).

John Lewis could always counter-sue Boots for their rather clumsy 2013 ad where John Lewis’ boy from their Please, please 2011 spot has become a surly hooded teenager. But it is exactly the same premise – we are supposed to be emotionally jacked by the reveal. Instead of robbing people he has been going round giving out presents – not sure which is the more believable – that or the Bear and the Hare.

Whilst the John Lewis original works, Boots bottled it and (to paraphrase Phil Rumbol who commissioned the ultimate ad in this genre for Cadburys) were unable to resist ‘telling us the lyrics’ at the end rather than just ‘letting us listen to the song’ by displaying the instruction – ‘Let’s feel good’. I really don’t need Boots telling me how I should feel!

If John Lewis can spend £7m just trying to hit our emotional sweet spot, then those involved in behaviour change need to jump to it and resist the safer-feeling but ultimately money-wasting utilitarian option. As government sponsored research has shown, emotional resonance is the passport to changing behaviour just as much as it is the gateway to higher sales.

The OECD published a fascinating report this week on life satisfaction across the OECD. Whilst some results we’re predictable – satisfaction in Greece has dropped as steeply as its unemployment rates have climbed – others were surprising.

In the Better Life Index, Britain performed alongside the Nordic countries, Switzerland, Australia, New Zealand and Canada, as one of the top performing countries. Why after years of economic doom and gloom and declining living standards is this case? Many of the other countries on the high performing list survived the global recession with their economies relatively unscathed and their public finances intact. And how have countries such as Germany who whose economic model and stewardship are often lauded, performed lower than us on issues such as life satisfaction?

As is often the case with statistics, the devil is in the detail – what people were asked, when, and in what circumstances. As The Guardian noticed, a lot of the data in this was collated from the period of relative calm before the spending cuts began to hit home in 2010/2011. But there’s also another potential answer to this.

The life satisfaction indices where we edge German 6.8 to 6.7, and the happiness index where we score 85% compared to Germany’s 81% are measures based on subjective self-reflection. As the OECD describe, life satisfaction asks participants to rank their “general satisfaction with life”.This works by respondents selecting there general satisfaction with life on a scale of 1 to 10, or in the case of happiness selecting what ratio of positive to negative experiences they experience on an average day.

This data is fascinating and I thoroughly recommend reading through the report, but as we’ve argued before, subjective questions are often a reflection not just of their actual life experiences but of the psychological state through which we perceive and reflect on our lives and experiences. This is not a criticism of the data, but a challenge for its interpreters.

Time and time again through conducting research where we use our segmentation tool Values Modes, we see how people’s perceptions are refracted through their key psychological needs. Whereas a young immigrant in East London who fits the values group Prospector may work long hours in an unfulfilling job and live in grinding poverty, they may view their life more positively than their next door neighbour, a retired Settler, with a comfortable pension and a higher standard of life.

This is because our memories and our self-perceptions are notoriously unreliable. The way our brains take in information relies on a variety of heuristics that interpret our experiences. We often can see what we want to see; remember what is easiest to remember.

With life satisfaction, a crucial subconscious factor is optimism. For optimistic people’s hard experiences are more likely to be shrugged off and positive ones dwelt up as reinforcing examples to ourselves of how jolly good our life is. As the heat map below shows, those who are pessimistic are more likely to be Settlers. This means they are more likely to be sustenance-driven, motivated by an unmet need for safety and wary of change; whereas the socially liberal Prospectors or Pioneers are more likely to be optimistic.

On a population level, areas with a values profile with higher amounts of optimistic residents often produce higher levels of satisfaction irrespective of the realities of life. As a country, the British Values Survey has show British values to also be shifting in this direction.

Is this behind the OECD results? And if so, what does that tell us about the Germans?